Toe lift device for a dropped foot

ABSTRACT

Swingably joined members biased to swing together bolted to the heel of a shoe with one member extending forwardly under the instep and approximately parallel to the shoe sole, the other member being swung upward in a tensioned upright position approximately normal to said one member and held there with straps around the back of the shoe, the fastened length of the straps determining the biasing force tending to raise the one forwardly extending member and lift the toe.

United States Patent Inventor Aljie Heedly New Orleans, La. Appl. No. 843,353 Filed July 22, 1969 Patented June 22, 1971 Assignee James 8. Lake, Jr.

New Orleans, Le. a part interest TOE Lli'l DEVICE FOR A DROPPED FOOT 4 Claims, 4 Drawing Figs.

Int. Cl v A6 1! 3/00 Field oiSearch 128/80 Relerenoes Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 839,223 12] 1906 Stevens 128/80 l,792,l55 3/1931 Fisher 2,440.894 5/1948 Caesar Primary Examiner-Richard A. Gaudet Assistant Examiner-J. Yasko Attomey-.Iames B. Lake, Jr.

ABSTRACT: Swingably joined members biased to swing together bolted to the heel of a shoe with one member extending forwardly under the instep and approximately parallel to the shoe sole, the other member being swung upward in a tensioned upright position approximately normal to said one member and held there with straps around the back of the shoe, the fastened length of the straps determining the biasing force tending to raise the one forwardly extending member and lift the toe.

PATENTED JUN22 I971 INVENTOR.

ALJIE HEEDLY ATTORNEY TOE LIF'I' DEVICE FOR A DROPPED FOOT The invention relates generally to prosthetic devices and more particularly to biasing means attachable to a shoe for mechanically lifting or pivoting the foot upward around the ankle.

There does not appear to be apparatus on the market for raising a dropped foot. The only prior art found was notice of an experimental device comprising an electric switch in the shoe sole of a good foot for turning on an ofi' electric current provided by a carried battery to the debilitated .nerves of the leg muscles of the bad foot to energize them briefly to raise the dropped foot while it is being carried forward in a step and deenergize when the good foot is not supported.

It is a object of the invention to provide an economical simple device for mechanically lifting the dropped foot whenever it is not on the ground. Other objects and a fuller understanding of the invention may be had by referring to the following specifications, claims and drawings, in which;

FIG. 1 is a perspective view from the above right and forward of the right side and top of the right shoe and foot with the invention operatively mounted,

FIG. 2 is a bottom and side perspective view of the left side of the right foot and shoe showing the invention,

FIG. 3 is an isometric view of the invention with the members unbiased, and

FIG. 4 is a rear view of a foot and shoe showing the invention and means for securing it to the shoe. Referring to FIGS. 1 and 3, the invention comprises a spring steel bar or rod that has been formed and shaped into two coiled springs 12 that are linearly spaced apart approximately the width of a shoe heel by a curved section 14 intermediate the coiled springs. The outboard ends 16 of the formed bar extend approximately in the direction of the curved section 14 and end in hooks l8. Straps 20 are respectively fastened in hooks 18 to extend oppositely from the curved section. One strap 20 terminates in a buckle 22 and the other strap 20 defines a series of holes 24 adjacent its end for securing the ends of the straps together in adjustable length.

The invention is mounted on and used with a shoe 26 (See FIGS. 1 and 2) which must be prepared to mount it. A hole 28 is transversely bored through the solid part of the heel 30 (See FIGS. 2 and 4) in vertical pivot line with the ankle joint 32, and a plurality of loops 34 are fastened, preferably by sewing, around the back of the shoe 26, and adapted to receive the straps. A bolt 36 having a head 38 is provided and adapted to extend through and between the coiled springs 12 and the hole 28. The invention is installed on the shoe by placing it under the shoe with the curved section 14 extending forwardly under the shoe instep as shown in FIG. 2 and with the coiled springs 12 registering with the respective ends of the hole 28. The bolt 36 is passed through the coiled springs 12 and the hole 28 and secured in place by the bolt head 38 on one side and a nut 40 on the other. The end sections 16, which at this point are extending along the sides of the shoe forwardly with the curved section 14 are drawn to the rear by the strays 24 which are passed through the back loops 34 and buckled together as shown in FIG. 4. As the end sections 16 are manually drawn to the rear, tension in the coiled springs increases as the angle between the members increases. When the tension is sufficient to hold the foot level in the air, the strays are buckled at that point.

The invention remains on the shoe which can be put on and taken off the foot without hindrance from or adjustment of the invention. In walking, when the dropped foot leaves the ground the coiled springs rotate the foot upward around the ankle as a pivot to raise the toe level with the heel and prevent it from hanging down and dragging on the ground.

What I claim is:

1. In combination with a shoe, a toe lift device or a dropped foot comprising: spring means having two parts, one bifurcated, biased toward each other and fixed to the solid heel of said shoe, one said part extending forwardly under the sole of said shoe and the other bifurcated part extending forwardly along the sides of said shoe; flexible binding means fixed to said bifurcated part for pulling said part upward and backward to thereby tension said spring means; and means for adjustably attaching said flexible binding means around the heel of said shoe for variably tensioning said spring by adjusting the length of said binding means.

2. A device as described in claim 1 wherein said spring means comprises: a rod 0 spring steel bent in the middle to define a curve and to form two parallel parts of equal length transversely spaced apart the width of a shoe, said parts being formed into respective coiled springs and arms extending in approximately the same direction with the curved part.

3. A device as described in claim 1 wherein said flexible binding means comprises straps respectively fixed to the ends of said bifurcated parts.

4. A device as described in claim I wherein said means for adjustably attaching said binding means comprises loops fixed near the top of the heel for slidably receiving said flexible binding means, and a buckle attached to a free end of said binding means and holes defined in the other free end of said binding means adapted to cooperate with said buckle to secure said free ends together. 

1. In combination with a shoe, a toe lift device or a dropped foot comprising: spring means having two parts, one bifurcated, biased toward each other and fixed to the solid heel of said shoe, one said part extending forwardly under the sole of said shoe and the other bifurcated part extending forwardly along the sides of said shoe; flexible binding means fixed to said bifurcated part for pulling said part upward and backward to thereby tension said spring means; and means for adjustably attaching said flexible binding means around the heel of said shoe for variably tensioning said spring by adjusting the length of said binding means.
 2. A device as described in claim 1 wherein said spring means comprises: a rod o spring steel bent in the middle to define a curve and to form two parallel parts of equal length transversely spaced apart the width of a shoe, said parts being formed into respective coiled springs and arms extending in approximately the same direction with the curved part.
 3. A device as described in claim 1 wherein said flexible binding means comprises straps respectively fixed to the ends of said bifurcated parts.
 4. A device as described in claim 1 wherein said means for adjustably attaching said binding means comprises loops fixed near the top of the heel for slidably receiving said flexible binding means, and a buckle attached to a free end of said binding means and holes defined in the other free end of said binding means adapted to cooperate with said buckle to secure said free ends together. 